wheel BUICK REGAL 2003 Service Manual

Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.Notice:The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-66for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
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Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has P225/60R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains, there’s not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you dond traction devices that willt,
install them on the front tires.
Notice:If your vehicle has a tire size other than
P225/60R16 size tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you must. Use only SAE Class
″S″type chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the front tires and tighten them
as tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues, slow down until
it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to“blowout”while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a“blowout”, here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, theflat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheelfirmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop—well off the road if possible.
If a tire goesflat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change aflat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goesflat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warningflashers.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured. Find a level place to change your tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brakermly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t
move, you can put blocks at the front and
rear of the tire farthest away from the one
being changed. That would be the tire on
the other side of the vehicle, at the
opposite end.
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The tools you’ll be using include the jack (A), extension
and protection guide (B) and wheel wrench (C).
Removing the Wheel Center Caps
To remove a center cap,
use the wrench to pry
gently at the notch. Don’t
use a tool that is
narrower than the wrench
to pry at this notch.
Then pry off the cap.
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Removing the Wheel Covers
If your vehicle is equipped with wheel covers, be sure to
use a wheel wrench to begin the process of loosening
the plastic wheel nut caps.
Once you have loosened
the plastic nut caps with
the wheel wrench, if
needed, you canfinish
loosening them with your
fingers.
Then, using theflat end of the wheel wrench, pry along
the edge of the wheel cover until it comes off. Be
careful; the edge may be sharp. Don’t try to remove the
cover with your bare hands.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don’t remove them yet.
2. Turn the jack handle clockwise to raise the jack
lift head.
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3. For jacking at the vehicle’s front location, put the
jack lift head (C) about 6 inches (15 cm) from the
rear edge of the front wheel opening (B) or just
behind the two bolts (A) as shown.For jacking at the vehicle’s rear location, put the
jack lift head (B) about 5 inches (13 cm) from
the front edge of the rear wheel opening (C) or just
behind the off-set (A) as shown.
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4. Put the compact spare tire near you.
{CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get
under a vehicle when it is supported only by
a jack.
{CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure tot the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising the vehicle.5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the compact spare tire tofit under the
vehicle.
6. Remove all wheel nuts and take off theflat tire.
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7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
the places where the wheel attaches to the
vehicle. In an emergency, you can use a cloth
or a paper towel to do this; but be sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you need to, to
get all the rust or dirt off.
{CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If
you do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall off, causing a serious accident.
8. Install the compact spare tire.
9. Put the wheel nuts
back on with the
rounded end of the
nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each
nut by hand until
the wheel is held
against the hub.
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10. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
11. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
{CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to come loose
and even come off. This could lead to an
accident. Be sure to use the correct wheel
nuts. If you have to replace them, be sure to
get new GM original equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to the
proper torque specication. See“Capacities
and Specications”in the Index for wheel nut
torque specication.
Notice:Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead
to brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specication. See“Capacities and
Specications”in the index for the wheel nut torque
specication.
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